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Fontainebleau High School graduate has sights firmly fixed on the White House: Mandeville Central

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FHS grad Christopher 'Drew' Walker served as an intern for David Vitter on the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Walker will be attending the George Washington University and majoring in political science.

"Politically, one of our biggest challenges will be our ability to work through our differences," said Christopher "Drew" Walker.

If you ask children what they want to be when they grow up you will get a variety of answers. In fact, the answer will typically vary for each child as they age. Some of us adults are still trying to figure it out. But for Christopher “Drew” Walker, last year’s senior class president of Fontainebleau High, the answer has not varied since fourth grade. He is convinced that he will be President of the United States one day, and those who know him well like his chances.

For the past and future leader, his experience this summer was a “dream come true.” He spent the month of June as an intern for Louisiana Senator David Vitter, specifically for the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Walker was one of two non-legal interns on the Committee. It is a position he applied for through Vitter’s website and eagerly anticipated.

A typical day for Walker was hopping on the Metro at 8 a.m. and arriving at the Hart Senate Office at 8:30 a.m. The full-time staff had meetings most mornings and he would cover the front desk and phones during their meeting. He often ran errands between the Hart and Dirksen Senate buildings, frequently visiting senators to get signatures on a variety of letters. In the afternoons he usually worked on projects with the staff, watched committee meetings and Senate floor debates, and attended forums designed for the summer interns.

When asked what some of the challenges were, Walker said, “It was difficult learning the ropes, but I was lucky to work with an amazing staff that quickly helped me get used to the atmosphere on Capitol Hill. It’s very difficult trying to navigate your way through the tunnels under the office buildings and around the Capitol.”

And as for the rewards, Walker replied, “Getting a taste of what the professional work environment is like, meeting and working for such a dynamic, intelligent and fun staff, and seeing our American system of government at work. It was truly amazing.”

He said he will continue to intern as many times as he can while attending George Washington University. He begins classes next month and will be majoring in political science.

Walker said his favorite part of the intern experience was the opportunity to witness firsthand the dedication and commitment of Senator Vitter and his entire staff in serving the citizens of Louisiana. “I was inspired daily by their actions,” he said.

Walker has certainly inspired others as well. He served as class president his final three years at FHS. He was vice president of his ninth-grade class. The Eagle Scout has also filled leadership positions in Boy Scouts, Junior ROTC, Student Council and the school’s Positive Behavior Support Committee. He co-founded one of the school’s service clubs. His community activism, honors and awards are too numerous to list here and fill two pages of a single-spaced resume. It is a major reason why those who know him will never dismiss his goals, no matter how high.

You can bet that he is already putting a platform together. Walker said partisan politics will have to become a thing of the past when addressing his generation’s challenges.

“Politically, one of our biggest challenges will be our ability to work through our differences. As we see today and in the future, representatives of the American people will sometimes have to put their differences aside and walk across the aisle to put the American people first. This does not mean leaving or abandoning their values or their beliefs but choosing to compromise for the betterment of ‘our’ country, because working on behalf of the American people is not a Democratic value or a Republican value, it is an American value,” said Walker.

Perhaps a little of Walker’s philosophy rubbed off on the Beltway? In any case, you may well have your chance to support candidate Walker as early as 2033.

Kenny Mathews lives in Mandeville Central. He can be reached at 985.630.8145 or kpmathews@bellsouth.net.